NDIA Accountability Project

Concerns regarding navigator tiers and Sole Trader support coordination

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National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 [Provisions]

Submission 162

Dear members of the Committee,

Re: NDIS Submission

My name is Kathy McCartney and I have been a support person to people living with disability my whole career which is 35 years. In this time, I have seen many changes and learned to adapt accordingly. I have worked for many organisations in varying capacities including Individual Support Trainer and Assessor and Support Coordinator.

In 2010 I started Heartfelt Placements and to this day, work independently as a sole trader. Doing this effectively has involved working with many organisations to produce effective outcomes for participants. These organisations all have their interpretations of NDIS regulations and also must meet organisational motives to outcomes. As a sole trader, I have navigated the systems effectively over many years and had many outcomes for participants that would not have been as successful without being a sole trader. Currently, as a Support Coordinator, I am working with 10 participants, 3 whom have been let down by organisations and have ineffective plans, for example misuse of funds or not dealing with underfunding. If the NDIS procedures were followed this would not have occurred. This being said I have concerns as to the proposed 4 tiers of Navigators. The Centrelink experience is what I envisage the navigator system will look like and that is not a vision I sit comfortably with as people are treated as a number and not as an individual. Participant choice and control would be diminished.

The main problem of The NDIS Scheme is not its structure or ideals. The main problem is the way of implementation of the NDIS vision and incorrect supervision and implementation.

  • One Major component that should not be changed is to allow Sole Traders to continue to act as Support Coordinators/Navigators with solid systems in place.

Keeping Sole Trader support navigators will allow participants choice and control. How you call the role whether it is Support Coordinators or Navigators is pure semantics.

Allowing a person-centered approach to care is the main issue. Companies might be subjected to broader legislation but they have much less flexibility to operate effectively without conflict of interest or internal politics that contradicts the Person’s well-being as well as the desired choice and control.

Sole trader Support coordinator will increase the trust participants have in the system as Sole traders have direct and constant contact with the participant. In companies, Participants are allocated a random Support Coordinator to deal with each individual enquiry and there is no follow up due to number of Participants they have to deal with in order to complete their Quota /KPI’s.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 [Provisions]

Submission 162

The NDIS scheme is dealing with people , you can not treat it only on a business oriented approach, it misses the whole purpose of the scheme.

Proper supervision on Sole Traders will avoid misuse of funds .It will even be a cheaper solution for the NDIS scheme instead of retraining the whole sector and confusing the participants once again regarding their rights.

The whole philosophy of the implementation has to change: instead of finding the participants guilty until proven innocent you should focus on the needs of each individual, what he or she really needs and find him or her innocent until proven guilty. Participants are not a burden on society. Scammers are.

Make it a criminal offence to misuse Participants funds or to overcharge a Participant. Defend the Participant by omission. Not every participant is here to rob the Government. Assess the needs of the individuals; do not try to classify them into categories.

The situation today is that every Participant needs legal professional assistance in order to receive what they are entitled to according to the scheme and common law. Change that!

One of the major benefits of the NDIS scheme is that it allows people with disabilities to grow. Choice and Control mean that they are equal. If you take away Sole Traders from the Support Coordination arena you subject all participants to internal politics and misuse of funds.

The Term “Reasonable and Necessary” is a legal term. Make it philosophical. Look at “Reasonable and Necessary” from the Participant’s eyes and needs, not only from the budget perspective.

  • Allowing negotiation of fees: This will allow the participant more control over the budget and will assist the scheme to provide better care.

  • It seems there is a hidden agenda as Participants are receiving sudden calls from the NDIS, engaging them to an immediate evaluation of their plan’s budget without allowing them the reasonable time to consult the effects with their families or with Support Coordinators. Even a suspect in Criminal investigation has to receive proper alert and opportunity to consult before any decision is taken in his matter. Make it compulsory to allow Participants to consult before engaging in any conversation of that sort.

  • Participants should not be afraid to approach the Administrative Appeal Tribunal in regards to their plan, fearing the tribunal will reopen the whole plan for review. Limit the Tribunal authority in cases like that and subject any reopening of the plan for review to solid evidence of misuse of funds.

  • Strengthen the ombudsman arm in the NDIS and give it authority to mediate and reconcile. You will be surprised how much efficiency it will bring to the system.

Sincerely,

Kathleen McCartney – Heartfelt Placements